Manic
by xDisgraceful Avengerx
Summary: When she started fighting, Kyoko never imagined where she would end up because of it. Modern AU. Prequel to Conversion.


**Chapter 1 of Manic is finally here. This story is a prequel to my story Conversion, so if you haven't read it, I would suggest doing that first. Mainly, this is Kyoko's life before meeting Sayaka and her story. So, without further adieu, Chapter 1. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**(October 6- Present)**

"What?" Kyoko asked, puzzled.

"I said, let them come after me. I'll take on anything that comes my way!" She stood, grabbing Kyoko's arms frantically. "This...is all I have left."

"It's not," Kyoko said.

Sayaka shook her head. "You just don't get it."

"And what is it I don't get, huh? Sayaka, everybody has their scars on the streets. Why do you think we do what we do?"

"You don't get it! Fighting...it's everything now! Everything's been taken away from me. My best friend, my mother, the boy I loved!" Sayaka yelled back. "You don't know anything about me. Stop pretending you do."

"Listen, you're going to have to move out of your little fantasy world eventually. Everyone has a story, Sayaka." Kyoko paused, before muttering under her breath, "Even me."

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**(February 11- Past time)**

The girl's head slammed into the ground once. Then twice. And a third time, and a fourth. Kyoko laughed, pulling her arm back for another punch.

"All your talking is really...pissing me off..." She panted, before slamming the girl's head against the pavement for a fifth time. Blood began to drip from the side of the girl's head. "What do you know...huh? How come you get to say those things, and I don't?"

"Kyoko, that's enough." Homura said. "The police are heading in this direction. You don't want to be caught like this-"

"Like _h__ell _I don't, Akemi," Kyoko sneered, laughing again.

"I'm leaving." Homura said, turning to walk away. "Get your act together before it's too late."

Kyoko slammed the girl's head against the ground a last time before standing herself, and turning to run away, blood caking her hands, dripping off of her fingers to the cold asphault of the street.

* * *

**(February 12)**

The urges came out of nowhere, and Kyoko wasn't sure why. Everything seemed to be going so well. So why did everyone say she was acting strangely? She couldn't find anything off about herself; same smirk, same look, same eating habits, same trigger-happy temper- just like usual. Why was it such a big deal?

She slumped down against the wall of some random building in town, staring up past the numerous balconies and open windows above her.

She'd stopped going to school; school was worthless, and for someone like Kyoko, completely unnneccessary. Why should she bother to learn the basics of Math and Japanese when she was never going to make a steady income anyway? No, better if she disappeared and kept to herself, in the end. She didn't remember exactly how things happened; something like her mother and sister dying, custody being given to the father who couldn't give a damn about her, friends- wait, what friends, she thought, smiling inwardly. Best to just stay to the streets.

Kyoko took a bite out of the shiny red apple she was holding, eventually finishing it, and tossing the core across the alley. She groaned when it missed the open trash can, but didn't bother to move and go pick it up. Why should she?

Kyoko stood, walking off toward the other end of the alley, swinging her arms as she walked. She heard the bustle of the streets out in front of her; the seemingly endless chatter, blaring lights, and reckless vibe that never seemed to go away kept her coming back to the streets, night after night.

She was sure she wouldn't see Homura this time...why would she? Akemi was hard to read, but Kyoko had been pretty sure she was pissed last time they talked. Ah, well, best to just ignore it. Life can't wait for anyone to catch up; it moves at too fast a pace for the fain of heart. Kyoko was almost sure Akemi was beginning to become weak-willed.

She exited the turnoff street, falling in step with the hustle of the main avenue in town. She figured it might be best to kill some time before another fight; police ight be looking for her after the one last night. She couldn't decide whether to cringe or smirk at the thought. Kyoko surveyed the street for any possible hangouts. Most places seemed too stuffy, especially that classical music store off to the right. She settled for the arcade. After all, what better way to wait for a fight than to have a virtual warm up?

Inside the dimly-lit arcade, Kyoko sat down at the queue for a street fighter game (the irony). She'd always been a pretty big fan of video games. Especially the challenge filled ones. Yes, nothing could kill her mood tonight.

* * *

She ran out of money, and for the rest of the night, opted to sit out by the statue of some saint placed in the middle of town rather than go back to her apartment. The spot actually provided some semblance of warmth. Kyoko wondered if that was because the statue was a religious figure; she, herself, wasn't religious, though, so that was probably unlikely.

The rain began to fall on the slate roofs of buildings, filling the area with the sound of a million tiny "plits". Kyoko always hated rain; after all, the last day she was ever happy was a day filled with rain. To her, rain symbolized trouble.

Almost as soon as that thought hit her head, she heard a yell from further down the cleared-out street. She turned her head to see the girl she'd beat up the day before standing with another girl, one who looked a lot stronger. Kyoko stood, and ran toward them.

"It's payback time, bitch!" The first girl spat. The second one smirked, giving way to Kyoko's rage. Why were they looking at her like that? Did they think they could just walk all over her?

The next thing she knew, her foot was knocking the uninjured girl in the jaw, complete with a sickening crack from the girl's face. The one who she had beat up the night before yelled, and Kyoko let a punch fly that caught her right in her already busted nose. She howled in agony, as Kyoko kicked the downed girls in the ribs, time and time again. She smashed her foot into the second girl's face, knocking her chin upward with the blade of her heel.

"Hey! Stop it!" A voice called out, and Kyoko turned to run, but strong arms grabbed her from behind.

"Get off of me!" She yelled loudly, kicking back and hitting the man in the shin, but he continued to hold on to her.

The next thing she knew, a pair of handcuffs were being placed around her wrists.

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**End Chapter 1.**

**I probably won't be updating this frequently, but it will happen. Reviews will encourage me to update faster.**


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